NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Tennessee lawmakers are reviewing proposed changes to enhanced handgun permit training that would ban live firearms and ammunition from classroom sessions.
The Department of Safety says the changes are meant to improve safety and limit liability during training courses.
What the proposed rules do
The new rules focus on the classroom portion of enhanced handgun permit courses, which currently include both classroom learning and range training. Key changes include:
- No live firearms or ammunition in the classroom. Only the shooting range portion would allow live fire.
- Instructors must hold the same enhanced permit they are teaching.
- Schools cannot share students’ personal information outside of the department or the school.
The Department of Safety says these rules are designed to protect both students and instructors during training.
Why the changes were proposed
The department explained that the rules were prompted after an incident in which a student was accidentally shot in a classroom.
“The classroom is for learning the laws and understanding how a firearm works,” a department representative said. “The range portion is where you learn how to shoot, load and handle a gun safely.”…